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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. hand — in cards
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. hand — help
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. mate — to breed
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mate — a friend
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. rock — music
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. hand — part of the body

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com